Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1887-06-02

/ on all my extra clothing and having a
hearty lunch. I crawled inside and pre-
pared TO pass the night. 1t was lit
tie cold-the thermometer being con-
siderablv below the freezing point
and vet L managed to sleep well and
| wake up bright and early the next
morning. prepared to finish the under
| taking.
left the camp and struck across a
sloping ridge composed entirely of fine
volcanic dust and ashes. Walking was
extremely difficult, as the loose ashes
had a disagreeable way of flying in all
directions, and although the distance
was less than a thousand feet, nearly
two hours were consumed in crossing
the strip. A steep, rocky ravine then
followed, and led to the foot of the
glacier. A large stream of water,
coming from the end of the field of ice,
dashed over precipices in its mad
course, and was finally lost in the dis
lance. The ascent to the snow line
was rapid but very laborious. and re-
suited in numerous bruises and
scratches.
By alternate freezing and thawing
the snow on the cone has been turned
into clear, transparent ice. in some
places from fifty to one hundred feet
| thick. The surface, however, is COW
| cred with half-frozen snow, partially
melted. during the day time. but solid
at night. Numerous small crevices
are on the lower edge. but none of
them large enough to be at all danger
Gus. The ascent at first was at an
angle of twenty degrees, but soon in
creased to nearly forty, making it
almost impossible to advance except
BY crawling on the hands and knees.
The air became so rarehed that only
few steps could be taken at time
without painting and fairly choking for
breath. After three hours of such
climbing 1 arrived suddenly at the era
ter. Before me lay an immense chasm
nearly half mile in diameter and per-
haps one thousand feet deep. The at
mosphere was trifle misty, and hid
the more distant mountains, but almost
at my feet lay the valley of Mexico.
Puebla, and its fields, while far away
| the faint white outlines of Mount ORR
zaba could be seen. The edge of the
crater is of loose sand, the ice and
snow ending abruptly, being prevented
from advancing farther by the heat
| which rises from below. The vapOrs
issuing from the various solfataras, the
dazzling whiteness of the cone, and the
blue sky above produced a scene of
wonderful beauty. Wishing to
learn how the sulphur is OBJ
tanned, l walked on the lip of
the crater to the opposite side, and there
by means of a clumsy hOisting-machine
descended several hundred feet to
level where a number of Indians were
at work. The air was filed with pois-
onous Yapors so dense that it seemed
impossible for human being to re-
main in the place. Numerous small
holes and creyices could be seen in the
bottom of the abyss, from which the
deadly vapors issued with considerable
force. Around each opening a large
quantity of sulphur is deposited each
day, and forms the mine from which
the valuable mineral is obtained. The
supply seems to be inexhaustible, for,
no matter how much is gathered dur
ing the day, enough will be deposited
the following night to more than make
up for what has been taken. After
being gathered, the crude sulphur is
carried to the top of the crater and
then shot down IA slide over the ice for
distance of two or three thousand
feet. A small sublimating works is sit
uated near the snow line, and there the
raw material is put into marketable
shape and sent to different parts of the
country. The poor wretcheS who work
in the crater stay up there about two
weeks at time, and then are sent to
a lower altitude. where they remain for
perhaps three weeks.
After being on the summit for an
hour, began 20 feel strange, dizzy
sensation, and realized the necessity of
returning at once to the valley below.
Taking one last look at the crater, and
the panorama which was spread on
every side, began the descent. The
glacier, which had been so hard to as
cend, proved to be capital sliding
place in coming down, while the loose
ashes made the softest kind of cushion
to run and leap upon. The path
1ilouSh Ihc loIeSI anu dcToSS Inc HeIuS
was as dusty as ever, and it was only
after loug and tiresome tramp that
finally arrived at Amecameca several
hours after sunset. Thus the trip, al
though it had its little drawbacks, was
most successful, and once more my ex-
chequer, which was not in the most
hourishing condition, was saved from
ruin.-Merico Cor. Chicago Times.
American Libraries.